Movies that I like that others tend not to like:
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: I'm from the prequel generation, and I think many others like me who are now in their 20's are voicing their admiration for the prequels. I saw it when I was a kid and it had a huge influence on how I watch movies. Watching it as an adult I admit the writing is a let-down, the acting is often stiff and the entire tale lacks the gravity of the original trilogy, but I freaking LOVE how they fleshed out the Jedi Order, the lightsaber duel with Obi vs. Maul (one of the best fight scenes ever filmed IMHO), and the brilliance of the sound design, costuming and art direction. The makers of the prequels openly admit that George was making the movies for the kids, and I can't really overstate how much those movies fed my imagination while growing up.
Moulin Rouge: I think the common perception of this movie is that it's a chick flick with contemporary music to appeal to younger audiences. However, watch some interviews with Baz Luhrmann (the director) and you'll quickly find out how wrong that is. It did for me exactly what he intended... It was a movie which used present-day music to connect you with the (what was then perceived as) debauchery, seediness and deadly allure of the turn-of-the-century Paris underworld and Bohemian Revolution. The entire thing is NUTS, I have no idea how he convinced 20th Century Fox to give him the money to make it, but it just WORKS. It's one of the most exciting, original and moving movies I've seen.
The Great Gatsby: Maybe I'm just a sucker for Baz Luhrmann, but I think the extravagant party scenes, amazing performances from Leo, Carey and Elizabeth, and general quality make this a great movie. I don't think many directors can manipulate the emotions of longing, nostalgia, and intoxication like Baz. He really knows how to make the past come alive. As always his music has a deeper subtext, in his words, putting jazz in there would be "quaint" today so he used hip-hop, which is the new African-American music which AGAIN is criticized as devoid of artistic merit and a bad influence on our children.
Watchmen: I don't understand how people think this movie is bad. It's amazing. Zach Snyder did the best job he possibly could have in converting a super-dense graphic novel into 2 hours of film, and everything he changed, I feel was for the best (I have read the graphic novel). Yes, even the ending. I love Alan Moore but no-one is infallible, and the original ending was unfilmable anyway. The performances are AMAZING, the music is PERFECT, the art direction is FANTASTIC. Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach in particular were completely realized, straight from the panels of the novel. Perhaps the most elegant streamlining of an existing work I've ever seen on film. I find myself agreeing with every change made. Don't know why so many people weren't pleased.
